Abel to Yzerman

So I stayed away 4 days. I think that’s pretty good. And I’d expected to ignore you longer, but three factors forced my hand.

First, the girls at Pensblog said hurtful things.

Secondly, the Professor’s in the Hall, where he belongs.

And third, Denver’s foiled again. And this one’s funny.

Let’s go in inverse order, because I’m just crazy like that. I see the bitterness hasn’t ended in Denver, the land of hockey ignorance and little bitches who can’t stand to consider the way their little team has been violated repeatedly by The Dynasty.

And before we get into this and the sobs begin out west, let me repeat. I’m not angry at Denver. I just don’t like you and I find this beyond funny.

We have two more honorary members of the A2Y 19, along with the “emo” in Pittsburgh. Their names are Mike Timmer and Russel Hebets.

You’ve read about these two. Timmer tossed the Octopus in Denver during Game 4. Remember 4? That was the night the Wings blew the doors off the Dive to sweep that series. I’ll say it again in case the Denver fans or bloggers were wiping their eyes when they read it. Sweep that series. Anyway. Timmer tossed the ‘pus and received a citation from the DPD shrivs.

The Denver cops cited our boy Timmer for “throwing stones or missiles”. Interesting they’d lop those two together. Personally, I’ve seen both projectiles used in places far worse than Denver and I’d take the stone, if given the choice. But that’s just me.

“It was ridiculous,” he said.

Sure was. But that’s Denver. Candy ass Denver. In walks Hebets, a “transplant” from Dearborn. And isn’t that classic. One Wing fan turns to another to burn the Dive faithful. in Denver. I frigging love that. So Hebets, because he’s one of us, represented Timmer for free. Timmer gets off, so to speak, and everyone’s happy. Except for the HDID, the hockey dumb in Denver. Oh. The angst.

Have I told you how much I love being a Wing fan?

Next. Pensblog. The bastards. I get an email from them the other day, telling me that as long as I’m on vacation, they’re going to blast me. I respect that. But they’re clearly still fretting over a series that should have ended in 5 (eh, boys?), and they decided to fire at least one more shot over the A2Y bow. Effective.

In their season recap, they brought up their introduction of “Charlie”, hero to the Pensblog masses. In the process they found a way to work The Chief into the mix. Disturbing.

Now, while I appreciate the wit I couldn’t let it go unanswered. It’s just not in my nature. So we immediately launched a counter-investigation. And what we’ve found? Good god no.

I have no confirmation on this, but sources indicate Darren Garcia has migrated east, apparently offered a permanent position on the Pensblog “Staff”. Again. Not confirmed, but that’s the word on the street. A2Y interns are researching and I’ll follow up soon.

Finally. We get to the serious stuff. Claude Lemieux will be forever remembered as the piece of trash, turtling, cheap-shotting pansy that he was. We accept and revel in that. But the Wings, I suspect, understood that he wasn’t any real danger. He was a fruit fly, a nuisance. The real threat? Floppa. The golden boy. He owned us in ‘96, well before Lemieux’s head hunting. Not only was Forsberg’s talent a problem, but he was physical, and he was—naturally—a cheap shot artist and a diver.

Igor Larionov, maybe one of the smartest hockey players to ever live, understood that. He understood that if there was one player who required neutering, it was Forsberg. If there was one guy who’s discomfort could lift Wing spirits, it was Floppa. So he did something about it. March 26th, 1997 (thanks PaulinMiami). Igor, outweighed by more than a few pounds, probably never in a fight in his NHL career, took on Stamp Boy and The Brawl ensued. We’ll remember Mac’s destruction of Lemieux and Shanny’s frigging beautiful flying slam of Patty. But, we also won’t forget it was The Professor who saw an opportunity and did something about it.

The OT goal in ‘02? Icing on the cake. His adoption of Datsyuk and the lessons we’ll never know the extent of? More to appreciate.

But to me, and considering my feelings for the Dive and all things Denver, it will always be the smarts and the courage it took to pave the path to Cup #8. And how appropriate is that?

About Abel to Yzerman

Welcome to Abel to Yzerman, a Red Wing blog since 1977. No other site on the internet has better-researched, fact-laden and better prepared discussions than A2Y. Re-phrase: we do little research, find facts and stats highly overrated and claim little to no preparation. There are 19 readers of A2Y. No more, no less. All of them, except maybe one, are juvenile in nature. Reminding them of that in the comment section will only encourage them to prove that. Your suggestions and critiques are welcome: wphoulihan@gmail.com